Learn Japanese with Stories Volume 5: The Cut-Tongue Sparrow and Kobutori-jiisan

This audiobook brings you two of Japan's most beloved folktales. The first is The Cut-Tongue Sparrow: a gentle story of a kind old man, the little sparrow he loves, and a cruel act that sends him searching deep into the mountains, where kindness and greed each find their reward.

The second is Kobutori-jiisan, the tale of a cheerful old man with a troublesome lump on his cheek, a moonlit night of dancing with oni, and a grumpy neighbor who learns that you cannot fake a merry heart.

Each story is taught in seven passes, so your understanding builds one layer at a time:

Story introduction: a short English preview so you know where you're headed

Vocabulary: key words in Japanese, then English, with room to repeat after a native speaker

Slow speed: the full story read slowly and clearly

Line-by-line: each sentence broken into short phrases with English meanings, then rebuilt

Normal speed: the story at natural pace, to hear how much more you catch now

Comprehension questions: answer out loud, then hear a model answer

English version: the whole story in English to confirm you understood it

Japanese narration by native speaker Yumi Boutwell, with English explanations by Clay Boutwell. Learn Japanese with Stories has been helping people learn Japanese since 2002.

No textbook needed: press play in the car or on a walk and let the repetition do the work. For upper beginners (JLPT N5 to N4) ready to move past word lists into real Japanese. Includes a companion PDF with the Japanese text and vocabulary.